Re: Low Back Burning/Pain and Twitches in Stomach

Posted By CCF Neurosurgery MD on February 08, 1998 at 17:20:03:

In Reply to: Low Back Burning/Pain and Twitches in Stomach posted by Janice on February 08, 1998 at 01:52:13:








Please Help. I've had mutiple migrating symptoms for 2 years. It started
with burning scalp, twitches in head and vertigo. I had all ms tests
including spinal tap. All were normal except evoked potentials which
delays. Recently I began having heartburn-like symptoms. I had an
ekg, gallbladder ultrasound and upper-gi series, all were negative for
problems. I now have lower back burning/pain and twitches in my
stomach area. It sometimes feels like a kick, sometimes like something's
crawling under my skin.
My neuro put me on tegretol. He did not sugges an mri to see if there
was a problem with my low back.
I fear the worst, that I have an abdominal aneurysm. I can't sleep
at night. I need help.



________
Dear Janice:
Based on the information you provided, the diagnosis of MS can not be ruled out.  The symptoms are quite atypical and the fact that all the tests except for the evoked potential are normal makes tha diagnosis unlikely.
In order to rule out this diagnosis, an expert review of the evoked potential study results is recommended and possibly a repeat visual evoked potential study may be indicated.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms do not typically present in the fashion that you descibed. If clinical suspicion remains high regarding an aneurysm, a thorough physical examination combined with a CAT scan of the abdomen should rule this out.
If all these studies are normal, then the possibility of stress factors as a cause of your symptoms should be entertained. I hope this information will help you.
Good Luck!